


Dance lessons for Ino

by J_animelover6



Series: Anecdotes of the lives of child soldiers [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Career Ending Injuries, Gen, Mind Games, Mother-Daughter Relationship, One Shot, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Psychology, Sad, Yamanaka Ino-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-09-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:07:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26460913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/J_animelover6/pseuds/J_animelover6
Summary: The Yamanaka understand people better than any Clan ever recorded in history. It's why no one can ever fully trust them. They're two-faced and the children play with people like most do with dolls. At least when they get older they develop a sense of common courtesy and limit their mind games to their work hours...But Ino is every bit a child and the heiress of the Yamanaka and proud of it. Every interaction and task is a battle between her and her parents. A test. Although all people can see is a spoilt little princess getting her way....
Series: Anecdotes of the lives of child soldiers [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1924894
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14





	Dance lessons for Ino

For any Shinobi an injury to the head or face is career-changing; often career-ending. Losing your sight, your hearing, your ability to speak or your very personality, more often than not is connected to a head injury of some sort. Brain damage is no laughing matter and none know this better than the Yamanaka Clan - the resident village psychologists, therapists, psychiatrists, interrogators and apothecaries. 

Their children are taught the basics of the human mind right after they've learnt how to recognize colours, numbers and the native Fire Country animals. Sometimes even before. How they understand the brain to work, the difference between the mind and the brain, how and why people react the way they do to certain things and so on. 

Then they learn how to control it, to heal or break it - without the use of Chakra and then with. 

(To a civilian that might be a horrifying concept to teach a five-year-old but that's why civilians are kept far away from all Shinobi happenings.)

Now Ino was eight years old and had mastered those teachings many years ago, in fact, last year she had already (or finally, depending on who you asked) been started on the Yamanaka Clan's special ninjutsus, and today she would be putting her skills to the test. 

"Ino," the young girl spun around on the chair to look at her mother with her mask of 'angelic innocence' already in place, "What do you think you are doing?" Her mother placed her fists on her hips and awaited the brilliant story her daughter would undoubtedly spin for her. 

"I'm getting ready mommy. I want to look just as pretty as you when we go dancing. Can't look out of place." Then with a swish of her long ponytail, she turned her attention back to her reflection and began applying dark pink rouge to her cheeks so that she resembled a clown from one of those late-night Saturday movies. 

Noriko counted backwards from ten inside her head and squashed the inkling of pride she felt at her daughter's obvious attempt of trying to rile her up. 

"Darling. I thought I had already told you that I am not going to dance lessons today. I have to watch the shop." She explained for what felt like the eleventh time this morning. Although it was probably more. 

"B-but mommy, you promised!" Crocodile tears streamed down her already rosy cheeks and a heartbroken expression was summoned to her face, "You're not going to be here for the next two weeks and-and today is the last day." Ino wailed, sounding utterly devastated and despite herself, Noriko felt a twinge in her heart that she identified as guilt. 

She had already used up all her leave when Ino came down with the Flu last month and she couldn't request anymore as then they'd simply tell her to resign and be the housewife she was 'supposed' to be - oh how she was eagerly awaiting for a new General to be appointed to her unit. Preferably not another sexist bigot. 

"So should I just abandon the flower shop, break my promise to your aunt, to spend time with you?" She asked. 

The battle had begun. 

"You can ask someone else to do it. Aunty will understand." Ino responded not a second later, hands clasped in lap and looking as if butter wouldn't melt in her mouth. 

"Ah but then I'll be breaking her trust by not staying true to my word." Noriko countered.

" _A Shinobi's life is built on lies and games, so words mean nothing_. Isn't that right mommy?" Her daughter fired back, using her own words against her. Out of context mind you. 

"Yes and the rest goes, _if only to be harnessed as a weapon._ However, that doesn't apply to your friends and family. Only your enemies." She wished Inoichi was here to see how well their little princess was doing and so he could back her up.

Noriko was not a Yamanaka by birth, however, she was still a very clever woman, adept in the ways of verbal sparring and after all these years of being married to Inoichi and being integrated in the Yamanaka Clan she had picked up a few tricks. Although she did prefer using her talents to seek and gather information rather than latching her fingers onto the strings of other people and using her words to bat them around like a bored cat. 

Ino was almost an expert at that. 

"What friends mommy? Everyone is so boring and stupid. Silly little sheep. Besides, you promised _m_ _e_ first and I'm your daughter so I'm more important." Ino stated and crossed her arms over her chest, causing the too-large dress she wore to fall off her shoulders.

It was one of Noriko's old dresses - a bright red and orange number with a tattered skirt that flared out like an umbrella in the wind when you spun around. 

It was from back when she danced more than she went on missions. From the days when she could glide across the stage and invoke whatever emotions she wanted into her audience with fluid movements, feather-light footsteps and dramatic facial expressions.

Motions that were lost to her now. 

Ino had chosen that costume for that very reason. So to draw comparisons between mother and daughter and so that she would see herself in Ino. Sneaky little thing. 

Honestly, when Ino got older she would be able to rule the world if she wanted to. Once she could read everyone as easily as she could her parents and peers nothing would stop her. 

Pride, worry and sorrow brawled for dominance inside Noriko's chest. 

"I never promised that we'd both go to dance lessons today Ino. I said I _might_ be able to. I promised that you could go. Not that I would participate." Noriko reminded her in a stern tone. 

Ino didn't even have to fake the hurt that flashed across her face.

She just wanted to spend some time with her mother and to see happiness pierce through her dim eyes and light them up once again. Which was why she wanted to go dancing with her. Her mother loved dancing! Even if she never said so anymore and always declared that she didn't miss it one bit. That missions and gardening were enough.

Ino knew she was lying though because every time she said that her eye sockets would narrow and there would be the slightest quiver of the muscles under her eyes and her hands would subconsciously move to pacify herself. Like to rub her nose or clavicle or wrists. All non-verbal indicators of someone being distressed or worried or experiencing other negative emotions. They were things that, no matter how talented you were or how much experience you had, you couldn't control. 

Yes, her mother still loved dancing but it also made her very sad. Ino had hoped that maybe she could make her mother enjoy dancing again so that they could do something together that they both enjoyed! It probably wouldn't work but...she had to try! 

She knew that her mother's brain was damaged, that she couldn't express emotions very well or much at all and that it was difficult for her to do more...delicate movements. Ino knew that.

How could she possibly forget those hours she had sobbed into her daddy's chest while they sat in the hospital waiting room? How could she forget those weeks when her mother lay awake and alive yet unresponsive and unable to recognize her own daughter and husband?

She couldn't. As much as she wanted to at times, she couldn't.

_A mission gone wrong._

_An accident. A misstep. An unseen trap. Lucky to still be alive._

All words that Ino had heard murmured behind closed doors when the adults forgot that children had ears too...

"Darling?"

"Oh, um. Okay. I just - I just wanted to spend some time with you." Ino mumbled. She didn't feel like playing anymore. She would accept this loss. 

"You're welcome to come and join me down in the shop." Noriko offered, trying and failing to make her voice sound comforting. 

"No thank you," Ino whispered.

Then she slid off of her mother's antique vanity stool, allowed the dress to finally fall to her ankles and onto the carpet, before trudging off to her room, barely able to hold her head high and to carve a convincing smile on her face. 

Noriko sighed as she picked up the discarded outfit from the floor, dusted it off and hung it back up in the closet she never opened anymore. 

"Right. Down to the shop, I go then." She muttered and closed the door behind her. 

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so...in my AU things work a bit differently. Four Shinobi form a team which is lead either by a sensei, higher ranking Shinobi or the captain. 10 teams form a sect/unit which is headed by a General. 5 units form a platoon which is headed by a lieutenant and there are 3 platoons in each Corps which is headed by Commander. 
> 
> The different Corps are Genin, Chunin, Jonin, ANBU and General. The first three are ranks while the last two are something else entirely. ANBU are a Corps dedicated to covert and infiltration missions and assassinations and all that sneaky stuff. They're not warriors or front-line fighters. ANBU is the place where the...different ones and the murders go.


End file.
